Apiary Inspection

The apiary program entails the enforcement of laws and regulations pertaining to the registration and identification of apiaries, notice of apiary movements, protection against pesticide injury and theft, apiary health and colony strength certification. We also assist beekeepers at their request in the identification and control of American Foulbrood disease, Acarine mite and Varroa mite.

Existing law requires every person that is the owner or in possession of an apiary, which is located within the State, on the first day of January of each year, or within 30 days thereafter, shall register the number of colonies in each apiary, which is owned by him or her, and the location of the apiary. Also, an annual fee of $10.00 shall be paid to the Commissioner to cover the cost of registration.

When filling out the Apiary Registration form, please be specific when listing locations of apiaries by noting crossroads, landowners, map coordinates and geographical landmarks when possible. Also, if you wish to receive notification of pesticide applications as provided for in Section 29121(b) and (c) of the California Food and Agricultural Code, carefully read and complete in full the bottom section of the Apiary Registration form.

Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below.